My Mama Told Me aka The Miseducation of Murphy Brown
by hiyakid
Summary: Set in current day, this tale expands the relationship between Murphy and Avery Brown Jr. After graduating from college, Avery brings home a girl. Will she be accepted by Murphy or will "The Huntress" emerge?
1. Hey Mama

My Mama Told Me...

a.k.a – The Miseducation of Murphy Brown

by Lauren W.

**Forward (Author's Note)**

I have been working on this story for over 10 years. In fact, I started writing it around the same time I started writing 'Closing The Circle'. Over the years I'd switch back and forth, finally finishing and publishing 'Closing'. But it did take another five years to get this story in any kind of shape to actually publish. Within the story are throwbacks to actual episode events. The circle is once again coming into play. So here we are.

This story initially came from an online chat with a friend. We both wondered what Avery Brown Jr. would be up to today. It only seemed fitting to begin to release the story on May 18, 2013, which is the fifteenth anniversary of _Murphy Brown_ leaving the airwaves, Avery's "21st birthday" and Diane English's real birthday. There will be two other parts to the story released sometime in the future.

I have to reiterate that I own none of these characters and no copyright infringement is intended. I hope you enjoy! R&R, no flames.

**_Chapter 1 – Hey Mama_**

"...And this has been another edition of FYI. Good night."

"And we're clear. Good show everyone." John, the stage manager, said as he moved quickly to start striking the set. The anchors stood and released their lovelier mics, laying them on the desk, before finally, and most importantly, releasing all tension caused by the stress of live television.

"Ms. Brown, you…um, have a phone call." Murphy heard the voice of the new executive producer in training, Troy. Troy was twenty five years old and just out of some ivy league school. He was hired because his uncle owned a large share in the network and knew all the right people. He had the perfect connection, but had absolutely no idea what to do on his first day. So instead of firing him, the brilliant minds at the network decided to title him "executive producer in training" and Murphy his trainer since Kay had been asked by the network to help get another show off the ground. Murphy didn't even bother putting this kid through all she had put Miles Silverberg through. She knew how he got his job, so she just made his life a living hell and had no mercy.

Murphy gave Troy a once over before snatching the phone from his hand. "Don't you have something else you should be doing besides answering phones?" As usual Troy had no answer, mostly because Murphy scared the hell out of him.

After watching Troy walk away, tail between his legs, Murphy, always the good reporter, grabbed her trusty number two pencil and a pad and in her best deadpan voice said, "Murphy Brown here."

"Give the new guy a break, Mom."

"Avery!" Her face lit up at the very sound of his voice.

"Great show, once again."

"Where are you?"

"School."

"What's all that noise?"

"Oh, just the guys." Avery put his hand over the receiver and all Murphy heard was his muffled voice. "Hold it down, will ya? Jeez!"

"How are you doing? Do you need anything? Money? Food? _Money_?"

"I'm fine Mom, really. I've got some news though."

Murphy felt her stomach flip. "News?"

"Well..." Avery delivered his news but as he did there was some sort of commotion in the studio and Murphy missed his words.

"I didn't hear you!"

"Mom, that hurt!"

"Hold on, honey." Murphy put her hand over the phone. "Hey guys! Break it up, will ya? I'm on the phone with my kid over here. I don't want to have to tell you again!"

"It's Avery? I want to talk to him," Frank said as he walked over to where Murphy was standing.

"No Frank!"

"Hi Avery!" Corky came over and yelled in the phone.

"Okay, I can see where this is going. I'm going to hold up the phone and everyone will say 'Hi Avery' then we'll be finished with this nonsense. Ready. Go."

"Hi Avery!" The crew of FYI said in unison.

"Did you get that?"

"Sure did. Tell everyone 'Hi' back."

"Everyone, Avery says 'Hi'. Now knock it off!" Murphy put the phone back up to her ear. "I'm back. So what's this news you have for me?"

As Murphy listened intently, Frank and Corky tried to put their ears to the phone, but Murphy swatted her hand forcing them to retreat. Murphy's mouth dropped as she heard Avery deliver his news. "Okay, I'll see you then Avery. I'm so proud of you. Bye."

Murphy slowly returned the phone back to its cradle, a dazed look planted firmly on her face.

"What's up, Murph?" Frank asked.

"Yeah. How's Avery?" Corky added.

Murphy turned to face them. "He's graduating early, with honors."

"Wow, I always knew that kid was smart." Frank said.

"He's coming in town tomorrow so we can drive to New York together. Oh guys, this is it. The day I have been regretting since he was born has finally arrived."

"Yes, our little Avery is all grown up." Corky said. "Gosh, I feel old!"

Frank and Murphy looked at each other, then at Corky. _If she feels old, then we are old._

"I wish Jim were here." Murphy said with sadness dripping from her words.

"I know. I do too." Frank added.

"Me too." Corky finished.

The three of them reveled in their own personal moment of quiet sadness, missing Jim in their own way.

"What is this?" Kay Carter-Shepley asked as she walked on the set. "You were having a pity party and I wasn't invited? I'm really hurt."

"We were just thinking about Jim." Corky explained.

"He wouldn't want you to do this. That I'm sure of. Everyone smile!" Corky, Frank, and Murphy gave Kay a round of half smiles. "Well, good enough. Now how about some food for the best damn news team on the planet? Phil's is on me."

"Don't you work for another show now?" Frank asked.

"Yes, but please, those youngsters have a lot to learn. They think Watergate is some kind of river dam."

"You guys go without me."

"What? Murphy Brown is opting out of a free meal? Everyone look out for the flying pigs." Kay made dodging movements with her body.

"Avery is graduating early, with honors. I have to get ready to leave for his graduation."

"Wow, that's great Sis!"

"But I do expect that meal _pronto_ upon my return."


	2. How You Like Me Now?

**_Chapter 2 - How You Like Me Now?_**

Murphy walked into her familiar Georgetown townhouse and dropped her bag and coat in the first chair she saw. "I'm home," she quietly stated. "But once again there's no one here. So I guess I'm talking to myself, again."

Reminiscing was now a friend to Murphy Brown. She yearned for the days when Avery would race her direction as soon as she opened the door, hugging her waist and saying "I'm glad you're home Mom." But those days were over. Avery was much too old for that now – his age lingering at legal and a couple of years past grown. But on nights like these she missed that little boy.

Murphy had been in a funk for quite sometime now. Her life's journey to this point had produced for her people, places, events that were no longer there. For one, she missed her mother dearly. With every milestone in either her life or Avery's she thought of her, her brain reproducing phrases or actions so vivid that she was sure her mother was in the room with her. At times she'd turn to nothing at all. Her heart pounding she'd swear she had heard her, felt her presence. Then in realizing it was only in her mind, she'd take a breath and return to whatever she was doing before. And the thing that threw her headfirst into this funk was Jim. Her rock was gone. All of the familiar things in her life were slowly slipping away and she had absolutely no control over any of it happening. Nothing seemed right.

Murphy kicked off her shoes, plopped herself on the couch, and started flipping through the mail. "Junk! It's all junk!" She blew out a quick breath while running fingers through her bangs.

"Why can't you ever pick up after yourself?"

Murphy jumped off the couch after hearing a voice in what she thought was an empty house. "Eldin? You scared the hell out of me!"

"I found _these_ in the fridge." Eldin presented a pair of cold, frost-ridden pantyhose. "It's frightening enough to venture into the great abyss that is your refrigerator, but then to find these was the topper!"

"I guess I'm forgetting things in my old age."

"I guess so."

"What are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to stop by and you know, see how things are goin'."

"Things? Come on, Eldin."

Eldin was no actor. Hiding the fact that for sometime he had a very heavy feeling gnawing at him was difficult to admit. Murphy needed him. "I was thinking about a new mural. You know, get the old juices flowing again."

"You don't have to do that. You don't work here anymore."

"I wouldn't be doing it for you. It would be for me..."

"If you want to, go right ahead." Murphy flung her arms up in defeat. "My ceilings are your ceilings."

"...Because sometimes we all need to stop."

"What?"

"Because sometimes we all need to stop." This time he said it louder and with more punctuation.

"Do me a favor. Wear a mask around the paint fumes. You're losing it."

"Stop!" Eldin extended his right hand and put the palm in front of her face.

Murphy, whose face now carried a perplexed look, was one second from calling the nearest looney bin and personally taking Eldin in for a full evaluation.

"In the name of love before you break my heart." Murphy heard another voice singing that famous tune and turned around to see Avery Brown standing there in all his glory, looking like something straight out of an Abercrombie ad. His blonde hair was cut short. His face, still handsome, as he had been blessed with his mother's bone structure. He held the same pose as Eldin.

"Think it o-o-over. Think it o-o-over." The two sang in unison.

Murphy sprang from her seat and ran toward her son, encapsulating him with one of her "serious" hugs. "Mom? Come on, Mom! I can't breathe."

"Sorry. What are you doing here? You said you were at school!"

"I wanted to surprise you."

"You shouldn't lie to your mother, Avery." Her smile, wide and bright, was all the reprieve he needed. "But I must say this was very good. I never would have guessed! And Eldin, were you in on this?"

"I came up with the singing part." Eldin proudly proclaimed.

"Oh Avery, you look so good. A little thin. Doesn't he look thin, Eldin? But good."

"He looks just fine. You look just fine."

"You look good too, Mom. I've missed you. And Eldin. And this place." Avery looked up, trying to take it all in.

"We've missed you too." Murphy assured. "Believe me."

"And who is this?" Eldin asked after seeing someone peaking around the corner.

Avery walked up to the mysterious visitor. "This is Lisa." Avery took Lisa's hand and brought her out for presentation. "Lisa Kennedy, I would like for you to meet my mother, Murphy Brown." Murphy's smile slowly turned ugly.

"It's so nice to finally meet you Ms. Brown. I've heard so many nice things from Avery."

"And this is Eldin Bernecky."

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Bernecky."

"Like wise, I'm sure. Please, it's Eldin." Eldin took Lisa's hand and kissed it.

Murphy's gut hardened, giving her the knowledge to never trust a person who said the word 'nice' that many times in the duration of ten seconds.

Avery took Lisa's hand again in his. "So Mom, what do you think of Lisa here?"

Still expressionless, Murphy said, "Ah, Lisa, yeah...your last name? Kennedy?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel old."

"Sorry."

"Kennedy of the Kennedy's?"

"Very, very, very distant cousins. I mean I've never been to the compound or anything."

Murphy looked at Lisa and couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. It wasn't that she thought Avery couldn't make such a catch, but this girl was extraordinary. The first thing that drew her to that conclusion was Lisa's deep hazel eyes which popped from her tan complexion. Her hair was a little longer than shoulder length, brown in color, with flecks of gold highlights that accentuated her bone structure perfectly. She was tall, very tall, as tall as Avery in fact, whose height now breached that of his fathers.

"Where are you from?" Murphy asked after she finished surveying Lisa.

"Everywhere actually. I'm an Army brat. I was born in North Carolina, on base. But I have lived everywhere from Iceland to England and back. I went to six different high schools." Lisa laughed and Avery and Eldin joined her. Murphy did not laugh. "The Huntress" was beginning to emerge.

"Do you go to school with Avery?"

"Yes ma'am." Lisa stopped herself. "Sorry. Habit."

"What do you study?"

"Journalism..."

"I see." Yes, Murphy did see. In fact, it was crystal clear to her now exactly why she was with Avery. This was all a ploy to get to her or to get on FYI. "...But my love is music…and of course Avery here."

"Thank you honey." Avery leaned over and kissed Lisa on the cheek.

Murphy could feel the nauseous, sick feeling building more and more. She could see straight through this bull. This woman or girl or whatever she was, was exactly who she had warned Avery of his entire life.

Avery looked at his watch. "Oh goodness, it's almost eleven o'clock. The Georgetown Inn said they would only hold our reservation until eleven, so we've got to go." In an attempt make their deadline Avery and Lisa quickly shuffled toward the front door. Murphy and Eldin followed close behind.

"What? You're not staying here?"

"Well, you know, I didn't think…" Avery grabbed his and Lisa's bags from the foyer closet and opened the front door.

"This is not a problem. Lisa can stay in the den and your room is still the way you left it." Avery and Lisa looked at each other then at Murphy.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Avery and Lisa laughed. "Okay Mom, we'll stay here." Avery dropped the bags to the floor, leaned in and kissed Murphy on the forehead. "You get your way. You always do."


	3. Catching Feelings

**_Chapter 3 - Catching Feelings_**

Chirp. Murphy rolled her eyes as she scraped the last of the Ben and Jerry's Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream from the bottom of the carton. Not only did she hate hearing that single chirp – squawk rather - of the Hawiian White Cockatoo every single night, but she also hated Frank for buying her that asinine "Birds of North America" clock and then Super Gluing it to her wall last April Fools. This years revenge was still in the works.

But at the moment, Frank and that clock were the very least of her worries. She must keep the promise she made to herself.

Over the past year Murphy had become a full-blown insomniac, catching the very worst in late night programming and finishing off more cartons of that ice cream than she was willing to admit. Unfortunately, no one event had started this streak of non-sleep. It just happened one night and it had yet to stop.

So in an attempt to keep her sanity Murphy made herself a promise. As soon as she heard that Cockatoo squawk 1 a.m. she must force herself upstairs for the night, no matter what. Sorry 1-800-operator-lady, no more 2 a.m. Flowbee purchases for Murphy Brown. She didn't care if it sucked your recently cut hair into a vacuum cleaner, staring at one of Eldin's masterpieces all night long had to be better than this.

Murphy's nightly ritual went as follows: 1. All evidence of that nights ice cream fest were to be thrown in the blue recycling bin in the kitchen. Check. 2. Secure all entry points and set the alarm. Done. 3. Turn off all lights while making your way up the stairs. Not a moment before, unless that is, if you don't want to make it up the stairs. Check. And finally, 4. Check on Avery. It was a ritual that even when Avery went away to college she couldn't give up. But instead of going in and saying "I love you" she would simply lay her hand on the door.

"Stop it, Avery! Ha, ha! I said stop!"

Wait! At first Murphy decided to just walk on by and ignore whatever was going on in that room. Avery was old enough now. He wasn't required to keep the door open anymore when a member of the opposite sex was in there with him. He could be trusted.

"No Avery. Ha, ha! No!"

"What the hell's going on in here!?" Murphy flew through the door so hard that it left a mark on Eldin's wall, obviously something she couldn't be concerned with now.

"He's making me mess up." Lisa said as she was trying to grab the video game controller back from Avery. "Give it back! You're cheating."

"Don't you think you're a little old for video games?" Murphy coldly asked.

"You want to play, Mom? You used to be really good at this one. Remember?" It was true. She used to be. In fact the letters 'MB' still retained the top spot.

Lisa leaned over and with a slap of her hand, turned off the game. "There, I win!"

"What did you do that for?"

Murphy rolled her eyes. "I'm going to bed now."

"Good night, Mom."

"Good night, Ms. Brown."

Murphy's eyes were the last of her body to leave the room as she closed the door.

"God, she hates me!"

"No she doesn't." Avery took the game controller out of her hand and replaced it with his hand.

"She does too. I can tell."

"She treats every one of my girlfriends this way. I remember when word got around about her I had a hard time even asking girls out. They would just instinctively run away from me." He laughed at the notion.

"That's not funny."

"Of course it is. It has to be. I mean, she's a great mom, but she is also a great journalist. She wants to find out the facts and thinks she has to be tough to do it. Like all of my girlfriends are Sarah Palin or something."

"I just want to make such a good impression on her because I love you and I know you love her."

"Then all you have to do is act like your already beautiful self and she'll have no other choice but to love you just as much as I do."

Avery lightly brushed Lisa's brown hair off her shoulder. Then he leaned in and kissed her neck.

"Avery?"

"What is it? I'm kind of busy here." Avery looked up at Lisa who was staring at the ceiling. "What? You're not enjoying this?"

"No, I am. I always enjoy this. It's just..." Avery interrupted Lisa by moving his lips to the only place that would shut her up. He planted a long, passionate kiss on her lips. Lisa retaliated by wrapping her legs around Avery's waist, pulling herself closer to him. They held each other tight and whatever worries Lisa had before were gone when he laid her down…well, for a short.

"Nope!" Lisa pulled herself up on her elbows hitting Avery in the head with hers.

"Damn it!"

"Ouch!" Both Lisa and Avery held their heads, trying to get rid of the throbbing.

"You could've told me you were going to do that!"

"Sorry." Lisa removed Avery's hand from his forehead and kissed the spot where they hit. "Does that make it better?"

"I guess so. But I know of something that's a whole lot better." Avery leaned in again.

"No Avery!"

"Why?"

"Your mother's in the other room. What if she were to walk in? She hates me enough as it is."

"We've already been through this. She doesn't hate you!"

"Whatever. You know what? I think it's best if I go to the den now." Lisa got up and walked toward the door.

Avery grabbed her hand. "You don't have to go."

"I think I do."

"Okay, suit yourself. But I think I should warn you it's dark and lonely down there. I hope for your sake Mom had the bug man make his yearly visit already." Avery smiled and Lisa couldn't resist his smile.

Murphy heard laughter again. She wanted to get up and tell them to stop it, better yet make Lisa go downstairs and get away from her son. Instead she just put her pillow over her head and wished real hard that she would be asleep soon.


	4. You Better Shop Around

**_Chapter 4 – …You Better Shop Around_**

Murphy slowly opened her tired eyes and looked at the clock. It read five a.m. Four hours of sleep were hardly enough, not by a long shot. Usually, as soon as she heard the radio blare she would turn over and hit the snooze button about five times, but today she didn't. The song on the radio was to her a gift from the gods and it would be to her benefit to listen. Smokey was so right.

As she let the song play, Murphy dragged herself out of bed and went straight for the mirror. She took a long, hard look while reaching for the nearest brush. As she let the soft bristles flow through her blonde locks her eyes drifted down. Past her forehead, past her eyes – although not without lingering for a moment, straight to her mouth they landed. The lines were the focus of todays attention. Although she didn't like them, they came with age and she was sixty-three years old now, nearly sixty-four.

Murphy grabbed her robe off the bedpost and put it on as she made her way downstairs to make some coffee. She would be relying heavily on it to help her get through this day. As soon as she hit the last step on the stairs she smelled something strange. Good, but strange. When she heard the clank of pots and pans she darted straight for the kitchen. When she got there to her surprise she saw Avery.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Murphy asked while she tied her robe tight.

"Good morning to you too." Avery looked like he had been up for hours. Neatly dressed in his nice blue dress shirt and kaki pants.

"Good morning. What are you doing Avery!?"

"I'm making us breakfast."

"Us?"

"You, Me and Lisa - us."

"Oh. When did you learn how to cook? Because God knows the only thing I taught you to do in that department was how to dial 911."

"Lisa taught me. She's a great cook."

"Of course she is. And where is Lisa this fine morning?" Murphy stretched and yawned at the same time.

"She's usually a late sleeper."

"A late sleeper, huh?" Murphy paused. "How would you know?"

"Here's some coffee, Mother. Nice and hot." With a bang, Avery placed a black _FYI_ coffee mug down in front of Murphy. "You still take it with cream and sugar, right?"

"Yes. Thanks."

"Breakfast will be ready soon."

An uncomfortable silence lingered as Murphy sat there sipping her coffee, wondering if Avery would ever answer her question. Avery, on the other hand, was hoping Murphy would just drop it.

"So..."

"Yes..."

"What are the plans for your graduation?"

"I was thinking we could leave tomorrow. Graduation is Saturday at noon. Lisa has offered her place for you to stay. She lives in a sorority, is that okay with you?" He knew it wasn't, but any excuse to talk up Lisa should always be taken advantage of.

They knew each other all too well. Murphy had no intention of staying in a sorority house with a bunch of screaming college girls who stayed up all hours of the night giving each other facials and watching _All the Right Moves_ just for a chance to see Tom Cruise's you know what. Being in a sorority was on her anti-bucket list, but since Avery still hadn't answered her question she decided to play along. "And where will Lisa stay?"

"Does this bother you?"

"Bother me? I don't know what you're talking about. Bother me."

"Me and Lisa?"

"Lisa and I."

"I just get the impression that we, as a couple, bother you."

"Are you sleeping with her?"

"Like Bobby Brown said, "It's my prerogative," Avery retorted.

"Is he related to us?"

"All done." Avery laid a plate of eggs and French toast down in front of Murphy. "Doesn't it smell good, Mother?"

"Yes it does. Actually it smells very good...but you're not going to get out of this one!"

"I really think you should get to know Lisa before you make any judgment calls."

"Answer the question Avery!"

"Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you take Lisa with you to the office today? It would make her day and you could get to know her at the same time."

"Take a good look at my face, Avery Brown. What do you think I'm going to say?"

"Why?"

"Because I have a lot of work to do today. I have my story to work on and I have to teach the new twerp how to count to three and I have to approve everyone else's stories. Busy, busy, busy."

"She won't be in the way and maybe she can help you with some of that stuff."

"Absolutely…" Murphy gulped her coffee. "…not."

Avery sat down in the chair next to Murphy's. "Mom, I'm going to be honest here..."

"This is good coffee, Avery." Murphy interrupted.

"We're pretty serious."

"I mean it. This is damn good coffee! Maybe the best I've ever tasted."

"It's Lisa's special blend." Avery leaned his head against his hand, letting out a sigh as he did. "Did you hear me?"

Murphy looked into Avery's eyes and as much as she didn't want to see it, she saw honesty. "Serious, huh?" She took a bite of her eggs and shook her head signaling they were good too. "Just for today, Avery. That's it."

"Good. Thanks Mom."

"And she better stay out of my way." Murphy shoveled the last of the food into her mouth. "How about you? Everyone wants to see you."

"Can't. I have stuff to do. Oh and that reminds me could you ask everyone over for dinner tonight? Lisa will whip up one of her yummy meals. Also, can I borrow the car?"

"What!? This is too much Avery!"

"She mentioned something to me last night and wanted me to ask you. She likes throwing dinner parties. So can you do it? Thanks Mom." Before she could say anything, Avery leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, then returned to the stove.

"I guess so."


	5. Go to Personnel!

**_Chapter 5 - Go to Personnel!_**

Murphy stepped off the elevator at the offices of FYI, threw down her newspaper on the glass table, flew past her secretary du jour, and finally ended her morning ritual by slamming her office door behind her. Lisa watched all this, saying nothing as she slowly walked off the elevator and into the bullpen. She just stood there looking around at the ambience of a busy newsroom and listening to its noise.

"Lisa?" Murphy popped her head out of her office. "You can come in here." Murphy motioned with her index finger, curling it toward her.

"Oh sure." Lisa walked in and closed the door behind her.

"Sit down. I don't know what you're going to do all day. I told Avery I would be busy, busy, busy. But here's the remote to the TV. I'm sure you'll find something to amuse yourself."

Lisa didn't quite know what to think or what to do, so she just turned on the TV and started flipping through the channels.

"Ms. Brown, you've had three phone calls this morning." Murphy's new secretary handed her a stack of little pink sheets of paper.

"Thanks Cheri." Murphy took them from her.

"I'm Beth."

Murphy took a minute to look over the messages, looking for the important call backs. "Whoa. Wait! Explain this. I can't read any of this."

"Let me see." Murphy handed her the message. "Well, I don't know who this is either." Murphy's secretary handed the message back to her.

"You took the message. That means you should remember! And what's all of this scribble?"

"I doodle a lot."

"A lot is an understatement! This borders on compulsive. And it's on all of these. I can't read any of them!" Murphy held the papers up to the light trying to decipher the messages. "The only thing I can make out is 'I heart Joe'. What is this?"

"Oh Joe, he's my boyfriend. Want to see a picture?"

"No. I want my damn messages!" Murphy flung her finger towards the door. "Personnel now!"

"What?"

"Go to Personnel! I'm sure you've been there before!"

"Wait, you're firing me?"

"Pick up your feet and move them that way! Right. Left. That's right."

Murphy's now fired secretary grunted and stormed out of the office. "Will they ever give me a break?" Murphy whispered to herself.

Lisa said nothing, not wanting to give the impression that she was listening, instead she continued to stare straight ahead at the TV.

"Lisa?"

"Yes?"

"You wouldn't want to go to the story meeting, would you?"

"You're kidding, right!" Her face lit up.

"It's pretty boring. Just us throwing around story ideas. You probably wouldn't be at all interested."

"To clarify, are you asking me if I want to go or are you telling me not to go?"

"You can go if you want to go."

"I do, Ms. Brown. I really do!"

"Goody." The literal meaning was lost because she would much rather Lisa stay out of her way today.

Murphy and Lisa heard a knock at her door. "Ms. Brown, it's time for the story meeting," Troy said from the other side.

Murphy abruptly opened the door. "What would be the chances I didn't know that? Let's roll, Lisa."

Murphy grabbed her pencil and legal pad and headed out after Lisa to the story meeting. Troy reluctantly followed.

"Lisa, you sit there." Murphy pointed to a chair around the small round table.

"And who is this?" Frank asked with the slightest sexual tone in his voice.

"Do we have a new intern? It's nice to meet you. I'm Corky Sherwood. Welcome to FYI." Corky extended her hand and Lisa, with a confused look on her face, shook it. "You certainly look normal enough. Funny, for one of Murphy's interns."

"This is Lisa and she's not an intern, she's..." Murphy couldn't quite get the next couple of words out of her mouth.

"Oh, let me guess…" Frank commented. "You're Murphy's furnace man's kid."

"No Frank, don't you remember? This is the Porche dealer's daughter." Corky turned to Frank and began to whisper. "She's how Murphy got the upgraded leather package at cost for the new Cayenne."

"Actually, I'm Avery's girlfriend."

"Girlfriend? Aw, how cute." Corky looked at Lisa. "And she's so pretty too. Look at that face. Ah, to be twenty again."

"I'm twenty three, but thanks for the compliment."

"An older woman. Go Avery!" Frank commented.

"Don't be a man, Frank!" Corky hit Frank on the back of the head, scolding him for his inappropriate comment.

"I thought Avery was coming in town today." Frank stated while rubbing the back of his head.

"He, actually they, surprised me last night."

"And where is Avery today?"

"He said he had things to do today."

"He wants to see all of you though." Lisa finished. "In fact…"

"Lisa! It's rude to interrupt."

"Murphy!" Corky scolded. "Her bark is worse than her bite. Really. You were saying?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Brown. But Avery told me you said it was okay to invite everyone for dinner tonight."

"Wait." Frank stopped. "Are you cooking Murph?"

"Yeah." Corky agreed. "We find it's better if we know ahead of time when we might need our stomachs pumped."

"No I'm not cooking! Lisa's cooking! Jeez! You serve one meal made with love and tenderness…"

"And federally recalled, possibly lethal food…" Frank added.

"I was going to say 'with my own two hands' but I see this is pointless now."

"Actually," Lisa finished. "Avery's cooking. Don't worry. I taught him."

"Well in that case, we'll be there."

"Yes, I would love to."

"What about you, Troy?" Lisa asked.

Murphy didn't want Troy within ten miles of her let alone in her house, touching her stuff. "I don't know if I have that many chairs? Yep, one chair short. Sorry Troy, maybe next time."

"I'm sure we can make room. Do you want to come Troy?"

"Sure, if it's all right with Ms. Brown."

"Well, is it?" Lisa asked. Corky and Frank instinctively flinched.

Murphy rolled her eyes and grunted. "I guess so!"

"Great."

"Now that we've settled the great chair caper, could we possibly get started with this meeting thing?" Murphy asked. "How's your story on the environment going, Frank?"

"Great. It couldn't be better. I have a scientist who says if we don't start doing something about our carbon footprint, we'll all be toast in less than ten years."

"Do you think he could say something that wouldn't scare the viewers so much?" Troy asked.

"We want him to say what he scientifically believes. We don't dumb down the news here at FYI, Troy!" Murphy returned her attention to Frank. "Good job. Keep working on it. Corky, what about what you're working on?"

"I'm having trouble. I can't seem to get anything out of the Justice department. They just won't talk."

"You tell the head honcho over there that you know what the Attorney General does when he's not on the job. They'll talk to you, believe me."

"What does the Attorney General do when he's not working?" Troy asked.

"If I told you I'd have to kill you and we wouldn't want that, would we guys?" Murphy glared at Troy with evil in her eyes.

"No we wouldn't." Corky and Frank agreed.

"And how's your story coming along, Murph?" Frank asked.

"At the moment it's pretty much non existent. I can't seem to get this guy to talk. Well, actually, I can't understand him. He only speaks Spanish. And since the last time I went to Cuba I unknowingly purchased a small peasant child and a three legged donkey, I'd say Spanish isn't exactly my strong suit."

"That story was going so well too."

"I know, I know. I was going to pound the last nail into the coffin of that Mexican Mafia's king pen with this informant. And you know how much I love to do that."

"Ms. Brown you have a phone call," Murphy heard one of the office staff say. "Some guy asking for 'la Señora Brown'. Should I take a message?"

"No I'll take it. Here we go again." Murphy walked with hesitance over to the phone and pressed the blinking line. "Hola. Soy Señora Brown. Usted tiene niños para mí?" Murphy put her hand over the receiver and turned towards the group. "He's yelling at me. We go through this every time." Murphy put the phone back up to her ear. "Excúseme. Hace a su madre tienen verrugas?" Murphy put the phone on the table. "He's yelling again. I find that if I let him work through this, which usually takes about five minutes, he's much easier to deal with in the long run."

"He's probably peeved because you asked him if he had any children for you and if his mother had warts." Lisa explained, trying to hold back the laughter.

"You speak Spanish?" Murphy asked as muffled Mexican curse words could be heard in the background.

"My mother is Puerto Rican. We used to live there. Would you mind if I tried?"

"I'm not sure if I should let you."

"Come on, Murph. You know you want this story. Let her try."

"Yeah, let her…" Troy tried to comment before getting 'the look' again from Murphy.

Murphy sighed then placed the phone on the table, "Don't screw this up."

Lisa rose from her chair and took the phone off the table. "Hola. La señora que usted hablaba no sabe español muy bien. Qué información usted tiene para ella?" Lisa took the pad and pencil from Murphy and started to write. "Sí, veo." Lisa looked at Murphy with shock on her face. "Y dónde son las drogas?"

"Ask him about the drugs!" Murphy face gleamed from excitement.

"I did." Lisa answered. "Cuánto?" Lisa wrote down a number and motioned for Murphy to look at it.

Frank took a look with Murphy. "Three point two billion dollars? Whoa baby!" Murphy high-fived Frank.

"Qué? No, usted tiene que bromear? Sostenga en por favor." Lisa put the phone down and took a breath as she was stunned. "It seems this mob boss guy is offing everyone. There's a body trail ten miles long."

"Can he prove it?"

Lisa put the phone back up to her ear. "Puede usted probar esto?" Lisa wrote down something else. "Cinco minutos? Gracias. Adiós." Lisa hung up the phone and with her hand over her heart she blew out another breath, obviously the last one did not suffice.

"What did he say?"

"Okay here's the deal..."

"Come on! What did he say? Tell me!"

"Murphy, the poor girl is obviously in shock. Why don't you just come sit down over here Lisa?" Corky put her arm around Lisa and lead her back to the table. "Can I get you water or anything?"

"No, thank you. Okay, here's what he said. He can prove it. Seems this mob boss guy, Carlos, I believe that's what he said his name was, is extremely careless when it comes to paper trails. He's going to e-mail you a secured ftp link with a copy of all the documents he has in five minutes, but that's it. He can't help you anymore. He's afraid they're coming for him soon."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Murphy made a fist and shot her arm back. "I smell a Humboldt and a thirty share here! I am so back!"

"Aren't you going to thank Lisa here?" Corky asked. "Without her you'd be up poo-poo creek paddling with nothing but your hands. And that's just gross, Murphy."

Murphy huffed to herself. She still couldn't figure out exactly what this Lisa person was up to.

"Yes Lisa, good job, very good job," Frank said. "Did that get your blood pumping?"

"It did, and I liked it. Very exhilarating."

"That's what real reporting is all about. They can't teach you that in any school, Kiddo."

"There are schools for this?" Troy asked. Everyone, including Lisa, looked at him like he had completely lost his mind.


	6. Here Comes Trouble

**_Chapter 6 - Here Comes Trouble_**

Frank walked off the elevator and was heading to his office when he saw a person sitting on his secretary's desk counting the staples in his stapler. As he got closer he realized that that person was Avery Brown.

"Avery! How are you doing?" The two men shook hands and hugged.

"Fine, just fine. Listen, do you have a moment to talk?"

"For Avery Brown? Absolutely." Frank walked with Avery into his office and shut the door. "I just met your girl. She's, well, hubba-hubba!" Avery smiled. "And she just saved your mother's story from oblivion."

"What did she do?"

"She just made your mother's story for next week happen, that's all. It was dead as a doornail before your girl got her hands on it."

"Wow, she did all that?"

"Sure did." Frank sat behind his desk and reached for the refrigerator under his desk. "I'm not supposed to have these, but what the hell? I've been here for over thirty years now…beer?"

"No thanks."

"Okay suit yourself. So what do you want to talk about?"

Avery looked down at his folded hands. "Well, I really like Lisa and..."

"And?"

"I think I love her."

After watching what she had done, Frank thought he loved her too. "You think?"

"Okay, I know. I know I love Lisa. I've never felt this way about any of the other girls I've dated before."

"And the problem lies where?"

"Problem? Who said there was a problem?"

To Frank this conversation felt a little too familiar. The person denying there was a problem. That person wanting to tell him the problem but not being able to get it out. "Listen Avery. You and I…we're buds right?"

"Of course."

"In fact you're like the son I've never had. We can talk about anything."

"Sure."

"So I'm hoping you'll cut me some slack because I don't exactly know how to ask this."

"You're starting to scare me Uncle Frank."

"Is the stick blue?"

"What?"

"Did the rabbit die? Is there a bun in the oven?" Frank looked at Avery who stared back at him with a look of confusion on his face. "Is Lisa pregnant?"

"Can I have that beer now?" Frank leaned down and retrieved a can out of the mini-refrigerator. Avery opened it and took a long drink.

"Oh no! It's happening again! I went through this with your mother and now you! What's the matter with you people? I don't know if I can handle this. I could tell you the wrong thing and..."

"Lisa isn't pregnant." Avery took another drink of his beer. "In fact we haven't technically, you know, been with each other yet."

"Never?"

"Ever. And it's driving me crazy!"

"What's the problem? You're okay, aren't you?"

"Oh God yes! I can get the car out of the garage, but she doesn't even want to have it serviced."

"Have you talked to her about it?"

"That's all we do is talk. But I've talked until I'm blue in the face. Don't get me wrong, I've understood because I care for her, but we started seeing each other off and on a year ago and we've been serious for six months. I think it's about time to, you know, open the garage door, if you know what I mean?" Avery held his beer in both hands, tapping his nervous fingers on the cold aluminum. "But something happened about a month ago." Avery's eyes made their way slowly down to the floor. "I got the roaming eye for a girl in my Philosophy class."

"Yeah, and?"

"Well, Lisa and I had just gotten into this huge fight. And we don't fight that often. But when we do it's always about the same thing."

"You didn't?" Frank picked up a can of nuts from his desk and proceeded to gnaw on them like he was watching a soap opera.

Avery took another drink. "And well, the guys decided to throw a party and she showed up. She, being the other girl, not Lisa." Avery downed another drink. "She asked me if we could go up to my room, and I said yes. I can't believe I did that, that I let it go that far!" Avery was clearly becoming upset.

"Come on Avery! I'm in my 60's. My heart can't take this! Did you or didn't you?"

"We came this close." Avery held up his hand and with his finger and thumb less than an inch apart he made Frank understand exactly how close he was talking about. "But all I saw in my head every time I closed my eyes was Lisa. I had to stop it. And that girl was willing to do anything and I mean everything. It just scared me because for a long time I thought Lisa was the one."

"Wait, the one, one?"

"The one, one. I still think she is the one. But what if that happens to me again and I'm not as smart the next time?"

"So what you're really asking me about is co…com…commit?"

"Yes, commitment."

"Are you sure you don't want to talk to your mother about this? I can't even say the world."

"Oh no, I could never talk to Mom about this. This is a, you know, guy thing."

"What about Corky? She's been married before. She knows about that word."

"Don't get me wrong, I love Aunt Corky and all but come on? No, you're the only one I can talk to about this kind of stuff. Please?"

"All right, all right. What about that beatnik painter man..." Avery gave Frank a sharp look that clearly said 'No'. "You get more and more like your mother every day, you know." Frank got up from his seat and paced around his office a few times to collect his thoughts. Then he walked to the front of his desk and leaned up against it. "This is all I know about that subject..." He got up and started pacing again.

Avery saw his hesitation. "Come on Uncle Frank. I need this, please."

Frank stopped and resumed his position against his desk. "Alright…I'm going to tell you something I've never told anyone else, not even your mother." Frank paused again, running his hand over his face, he sighed. "Commitment scared me out of marrying my first love and I regret it to this day. I mean, look at me? I'm sixty three and never been married. Even your mother's been married, although it was only for five days. Okay, I'm getting off the subject, I know. But Avery, I've missed out on the wife, the children and the dog, all out of fear of one thing...commitment. And all I can say is don't have this regret, Avery. It dogs me everyday of my life. I go to sleep thinking about it and I wake up thinking about it and it's the number one topic that comes up in therapy."

"It's just that we've come to that place in our relationship that I know I'm going to have to make a decision here. I just didn't expect it would be this hard."

"I don't know what else I can tell you, Avery. This is a decision you're going to have to make on your own. Although, I think you already know what you want to do."

"I know. I know."


	7. She's The Do-It-All Kind of Girl

**_Chapter 7 - She's The Do-It-All Kind of Girl_**

Murphy Brown arrived home from work with Frank and Kay in tow. As they entered the house they heard the sound of beautiful violin music coming from the living room. The last time that kind of music was heard coming from that room was well before Avery was born. When walking into the living room Murphy, Kay and Frank were stopped when they saw Lisa, with headphones on, playing the violin. They watched, impressed by her playing.

"Hi everyone!" Avery Brown walked out of the kitchen wiping his hands with a dish towel.

"She's very good." Frank commented.

"She does this when she can't finish writing a song or when she's nervous. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

The doorbell rang and for a moment they were drawn away from Lisa. Avery answered the door and it was Corky. "Sorry, we're late. I had to pick up Kelly and Kenny from daycare." Kelly and Kenny were Corky's four year old fraternal twins. Kelly looked like a miniature version of Corky and Kenny looked exactly like Corky's husband, Hank, a doctor she met on a cruise. Corky had waited late in life for children, much like Murphy. She always wanted two children, a boy and a girl, and luckily she got them both in one pop. "And Hank sends his apologies. He can't make it. He had an emergency delivery."

"It's great to see you Aunt Corky." Avery hugged Corky.

Corky whispered in his ear, "I have something for you." Then she slipped a small gift into his pocket.

"Thanks Aunt Corky."

"Don't you mention it, Mr. College Graduate. We're all so proud of you." Corky smiled at Avery.

"And these aren't the little babies I remember you bringing home from the hospital? They've grown so much."

"We're this many now." Kelly tried to hold up four fingers but she had to count them before she did.

Avery smiled at the twins and they immediately wrapped themselves around his right and left legs. "Whoa. What are they doing?"

"Take us for a ride, a ride!" Kenny yelled.

"We're hoping this is just a phase they're going through. But it means they like you. At least that's what Dr. Spock says." Corky looked down at her children. "Kelly Jo, Kenny Jo, now y'all know better. Let Avery be please."

"Okay Mommy." Kelly said.

After releasing their grip on his legs Avery bent down to their level. "I'll give you a ride later, okay?" Kelly and Kenny jumped for joy.

"What's that music?" Corky asked. "I didn't know this was such a classy gathering that you'd hire a violinist."

"No, it's Lisa. She plays."

"Well she's just a do-it-all kind of girl, isn't she?"

"She sure is." Avery took Kelly and Kenny's hands and led the three of them into the living room where Frank and Kay were still intently watching Lisa play. Murphy was busy opening her mail.

"Uncle Frank!" Kenny and Kelly yelled at the same time.

"Oh no! It's the booger twins!" Kelly and Kenny ran to Frank and jumped on his legs. He started carelessly swinging them around.

"Don't call them that, Frank! You know they copy you. The other day Kenny asked one of the kids in his class to pull his finger. I wonder where he got that from?"

"You're absolutely right, Corky. I won't ever do it again…Right booger twins?"

"Right!" The kids laughed harder as Frank threw them around. Corky knew it was a lost cause.

"Wait, I know this song!" Kay said, referring to Lisa's playing.

"I don't." Murphy replied then returned to her mail.

"I do too, Kay." Corky said.

"She wore a raspberry beret. The kind you find in a second hand store. Raspberry beret. If it was warm she wouldn't wear much more. Raspberry beret." Corky, Kay, and Avery sang the chorus together.

"I love that song. That Prince is so yummy and not to mention that nice little..." Kay stopped. "Oh, Kelly and Kenny are here. When did they get here?"

"Prince? Of what?" Murphy asked as she looked at Frank confused.

"Never mind, Mom." Avery walked over, tapped Lisa on the shoulder and she jumped. Lisa quickly took off her headphones, placing them back on the borough. "They're all here."

Lisa turned around and looked at the group. "Oh God all of you saw that? Didn't you? I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be. It was beautiful." Kay said.

"Hi everyone." Lisa stood up and in her long black skirt and wrap around top she walked over to the group. "I don't think I've met you. I'm Lisa Kennedy." Lisa directed her comment to Kay.

"Very nice to meet you, Lisa. I'm Kay Carter-Shepley, executive producer of..." Kay knocked herself on the side of her head with her hand. "I keep forgetting I don't work there anymore. You'll have to excuse me, I forgot to take my ginko biloba today."

"And this must be Kelly and Kenny. They're precious Corky." Kelly and Kenny were too busy playing with Frank to even acknowledge Lisa.

Corky was just happy they didn't jump on her too. "Thank you."

"Hey, what happened to the music?" Eldin walked out of the little hallway that led to the den adjusting the collar on his dress shirt.

"Whoa, Eldin! Hot stuff!" Murphy commented.

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."

"So we're all here. Let's get started." Avery said. "I hope everyone's hungry. We're having liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti!" It was just like a film student to make the slithering sound Hannibal Lecter made in _Silence of the Lambs_.

Lisa rolled her eyes. "That joke is so old. And anyway, we're still missing one person. I wonder where he could be."

"Maybe the Twerp isn't going to be able to make it," Murphy said as the doorbell rang again. "Damn, spoke too soon."

Avery opened the door and was introduced to Troy. "Um, does Murphy Brown live here?"

"Yes I think so." Avery looked back. "Do you live here, Mom?"

"Unfortunately yes."

"I had trouble finding your house. This map was all wrong." Troy handed Avery a hand written map. "See, the little car is taking a right on Pennsylvania Avenue. I did that and ended up being pulled over at gun point by the secret service."

"You're supposed to take a left...hold on. Mother this is your hand writing. Come in Troy. I'm Avery, Murphy's son."

"Oops, so sorry about that Troy." Murphy laughed as she walked into the dining room. "Gee, where's my head?"

"Well, that was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Thank you, Avery." Corky said as she wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin. Everyone else weighed in their respective compliments to the chef.

"It wasn't me, Aunt Corky, it was all Lisa." Avery looked at Lisa longingly and kissed her on the cheek. "Wasn't it honey?"

"You know you helped, but thanks."

Murphy watched all of this. She was still uncomfortable with the notion of Avery and Lisa's open affection for each other. Who did this person think she was anyway, some contestant on _The Dating Game_? No, this was real life, not some TV show. Frank thought their fondness was refreshing, but what Avery said in his office today still weighed on him and he wondered just how real this really was. Corky, Kay and Eldin, on the other hand, thought they were sweet and it warmed their hearts to see two people so obviously in love. Troy, who had made his place at the kiddy table with Kelly and Kenny, still had no clue. He was too busy trying to make the kids laugh by blowing bubbles in his milk and using his eating utensils to facilitate in making goofy faces.

"Okay, time for desert," Avery announced. "Aunt Corky, would you give me a hand?"

"Of course." Corky rose from her seat and followed Avery into the kitchen. After they left, the room fell silent. It felt uncomfortable, so everyone focused their attention on Kelly and Kenny who were still incessantly laughing at the ridiculous farce that was Troy.

"So Lisa?" Kay asked trying to break the uncomfortable feeling. "A little bird tells me you really know your stuff when it comes to news."

"I do?" Lisa looked at Kay with confusion.

"Yes you do Lisa." Frank interjected, now tired of watching Troy make an ass out of himself. "I mean, to watch you today, saving Murphy's story the way you did, reminded me of my early days in newspaper."

"Oh great, now we've got him started on his newspaper days," Murphy added. "Let me sum it up for you so we won't have to be here until the next millennium. Frank busted this ring of park bench thieves in Central Park. He dressed up like a bum for a week and one morning found himself in a warehouse on the west side."

"It was a warehouse in Jersey! You always get that wrong. And it was a brilliant piece of investigative journalism!"

"I hope every one likes chocolate cake. I baked it myself, with Lisa's guidance of course." Avery announced returning from the kitchen with Corky in tow, placing a slice of the chocolate cake in front of every one. Avery sat down in between his mother and his girlfriend and looked around at everyone as they dug into the cake he made. He was waiting for it to happen.

"Mommy? Mommy?" Kenny ran up to Corky, plate in hand.

"Mommy will get you some more milk in just a minute. Sit back down please."

"But Mommy?"

"Kenny, what did Mommy tell you about being impatient?"

"That I'd end up like Aunt Murphy."

Corky looked at Murphy and laughed. She quickly grabbed her napkin and her son and began vigorously wiping his mouth. "The things kids come up with? I don't know where he gets it from?"

"You said that Mommy."

"Ha, ha. Sit now!" Corky leaned down and whispered in her son's ear, "We'll talk about this later."

"But Mommy?"

"Kenneth Jo! I am not happy with this behavior!" And that was all it took. Kenny started to cry. He was also trying to say something at the same time, but because of the crying no one could understand him. Corky picked him up and put him on her lap. She held him close and in some small way was trying to apologize so he'd stop crying. Instead he cried louder and continued to endlessly repeat whatever he was trying to say. "Mommy can't understand you, Kenny. Stop crying."

"He said he just wanted to know what was on his plate." Kelly stated while poking her finger in her chocolate cake.

"Is that all you wanted to know Kenny?" He shook his head and calmed down. "Okay let's see." Corky took the plate in her hand and looked at it.

"Mommy, what's on it?"

"Oh gosh Avery, I'm so sorry."

"For what Aunt Corky?"

She laid the plate down in front of him. "I mixed them up and gave this one to Kenny."

Avery stared at the plate, knowing that his plan was now foiled.

"What does that say?" Murphy asked, trying to decipher words written in what she only hoped was chocolate on her good china.

"It says..." Avery dropped to his knee, taking Lisa's hand in his. "...Will you marry me?" He retrieved a box out of his pocket and opened it, exposing a beautiful diamond ring. "I had this big speech planned, but frankly, I don't remember any part of it right now so I'll just say what I'm feeling. Lisa Santa Maria Fernanda Guadalupe Kennedy, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I'm hoping you'll do me that honor. So will you marry me?" Avery smiled at Lisa.

Lisa was in shock as she looked into Avery's eyes. She had no clue he had planned this. Sure, they had talked about marriage before, but never seriously. Lisa put her arms around Avery's neck and leaned in to whisper her answer in his ear.

Murphy's mouth was agape along with everyone else's in the room, with the exception Corky, who had known all along. Frank wasn't the last person Avery visited before he picked up Lisa from FYI, Corky was, and she helped him pick out the ring.

"For God's sake, what did she say?" Frank abruptly asked.

Avery and Lisa released their embrace and stood. "She said yes," Lisa answered.

Cheers and congratulations were heard all around as everyone hugged everyone, but one. Frank made his way over to Murphy and hugged her. "I guess you're going to be the old dreaded mother-in-law now huh, Murph?" He didn't feel anything in return. She was stunned, completely motionless. "Murph? Are you all right?" Frank looked at Murphy and for the first time in her life something had caused her unable to move or speak. He knew he had to get her out of the room so he grabbed her by the shoulders and walked her out.

"Where are you going?" Troy asked.

"We'll, be right back, right Murph?"

"Jail cell!" Through tears, those were the only words she could get out.

Frank awkwardly hugged Murphy. "She's over come with happiness, what can I say?"

Frank backed Murphy into the living room. Murphy broke away from him and headed straight for the box of tissue. "I can't believe I did that! God Frank, I probably ruined it for him."

"Aren't you happy?"

"Happy? How am I supposed to be happy? I did the same thing when I was his age and it was wrong, completely wrong. All I could see was his father and me and that Jail Cell!" Murphy wiped under her eyes, making sure her mascara had not run.

"So that's what you meant by…never mind."

"No, no. I was too young and so is he. I don't want to see him make the same mistakes I made."

"Murph, he's not a child anymore."

"He's still too young."

"Listen to me." Frank took the tissue out of Murphy's hand and began to wipe her face for her. "He's a grown man. He really loves Lisa and he wants to make a commitment, at least that's what he said when he came to see me today."

"Wait! He came to you?"

"Yes."

"You knew about this all along and you didn't warn me?"

"I didn't know, hell, I'm as surprised as you are. He wanted to talk about commitment."

"God! You talked to him about commitment! What do you know about commitment? You couldn't even keep that fern Corky gave you alive for more than a week!"

"Look who's talking about commitment! Fine! If you're going to insult me then here's your tissue back. Just deal with it yourself! I'm outta here." Frank started to walk back into the dining room. "By the way, you've got mascara on the tip of your nose."

"Sorry. I'm sorry." Murphy blew her nose. "I just can't see this happen again."


	8. Vertigo

**_Chapter 8 - Vertigo_**

It was twenty minutes to ten and with two empty ice cream cartons and one empty plate, which once had a piece of chocolate cake upon it, before her, Murphy laid on her couch, clutching a pillow under her head, half watching Vertigo on cable for the millionth time. It was to the part when Scottie sees what he thinks is his lost love for the first time. He wonders if this is his real lost love or his fake substitute and Murphy wondered the same about Lisa. Was her love as real for Avery as his was for her?

"Kitchen's all clean." Avery strolled into the living room and peaked over the couch. "Is there anything else you need for me to do Mom?"

"Huh? Oh sorry. What did you say?"

"Lay off the ice cream, will ya? That stuff is chuck-full of fat and calories that you just don't need."

"Never mind about that. What do you think of Kim Novak in this movie?"

"Oh, Vertigo, my favorite! Fall, no, spring semester. Film theory class. Hitchcock. The man is a genius."

"What about Kim Novak?"

"What about her? As an actress? I think she's wonderful in this movie. I mean playing a roll like that must be hard, but with a director like Hitchcock..."

"No, the characters she plays. What do you think about them?"

"Well the allegory between the two women is timeless. They are the classic flawed characters, but so many of Hitchcock's characters are. And how they add to the twist ending shocks audiences even to this day. Is that what you wanted to know?"

It wasn't, but she could see to push farther would be fruitless. "Yes, thanks for informing me honey. I'm so glad to know that fifty grand a semester didn't go to waste."

"Because, honestly, I could talk about Hitchcock all night long. But I'm tired and we have to leave early tomorrow so I'm off to catch some Z's."

"Fine then." Murphy returned her attention to Vertigo and tried to salvage what may have been left of the ice cream from the bottom of the carton that was simply too small for her liking. She licked the spoon, but stopped and turned toward Avery's direction again, her eyes finally catching him half way up the steps. "Where's Lisa?"

"In the den, I think. She was tired too."

"Yes the den. Where else could she possibly be?"

Avery smiled. "Good night, Mom. And don't eat anymore of that junk food!"

"You haven't forgotten where your room is, have you? It's upstairs. Yes keep walking. One step at a time. First door on the right." To hammer home the point, she directed him with her spoon.

"Sweet dreams mommy dearest."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Murphy was again left with just herself and Mr. Hitchcock's timeless tale to make her think. She recalled the first time Vertigo became part of her common knowledge. She was ten when it was released and even as a child she knew when a movie was a going to be a good one, so she begged to see it. Her mother thought Cinderella or Snow White would be more suitable for her daughter's eyes and said no. But that didn't stop her mother and father from seeing it, something that infuriated Murphy, causing her to pitch a fit the night they were to head to the theatre. Avery called for Elouise who tried to divert Murphy's attention, but eventually she got away from her and ran to the front door, clad in her pajamas with the feet in them, just in time to see the door close. They were gone...without her. When they returned they found Murphy, who started protesting the minute they left, sprawled out on the area rug in the foyer. She had not moved for three straight hours even though Elouise tried to get her into bed. But three hours to a ten year old child was like an eternity and time had finally caught up to her. She was in dreamland now, probably marrying Fabian again. Bill bent down and picked up his daughter in his arms. Avery found a very asleep Elouise on the couch. She woke her and thanked her for staying and walked her out. Avery then joined Bill and they walked upstairs to Murphy's room. Murphy woke up when they were almost half way up the stairs, but she dared not open her eyes. What she heard was the reason why _Vertigo_, even though she didn't actually see the movie until she was well into her college years, made her smile. Her parents, for once, were not yelling or disagreeing. They were affectionate and loving toward each other. She always credited that movie with making her parents act like, even if for that short time only, the parents she always wanted.

Murphy woke to a scream, but when she opened her eyes she realized it was just Kim Novak making the descent to her impending doom. When the doorbell rang she jumped out of the suspense Mr. Hitchcock had so methodically put her in. She looked at her wrist watch, it was midnight. "Who the hell could this be at this hour?" The doorbell rang again. She got up and walked to the door. Intuition told her to open it without question, and so she did. Jim Dial stood there, hat on head, trench coat on, just like he had never left her.

"Hi, Slugger." He took his hat off, like the gentleman he was, and held it in his hands ever so softly rubbing the brim. "I hope it's not too late."

"Jim Dial? Is it really you?"

"I know I've been away for a while. Could I..." Jim motioned his entry with his head.

"Sure. Of course."

Jim entered Murphy's house placing his hat and trench coat on the foyer chair. Murphy watched him the entire time in disbelief that he was actually here, in her presence. "I just wanted to see how you were Slugger. But I can't stay long. So, how are you?"

Murphy said nothing; her emotions took over. She immediately walked over to Jim and hugged him. She didn't want to squander yet another opportunity to hold one of those things that were slipping away from her. Jim was taken aback at first but then he warmed up to her show of affection, which he knew was so hard for both of them. He hugged her back.

"I've missed you, Jim."

"God only knows I've missed you too, Slugger."

Murphy released herself from Jim, reluctantly of course, fearing that he would have to leave her again soon. She asked him into the living room. He appeased her. She sat next to him on the couch, turning off the end credits of Vertigo at the same time.

"I got your message, Slugger. I'm sorry I couldn't make it tonight."

"I'm just glad you're here now."

"Listen, I must apologize for how I left."

"Oh Jim..."

"No, let me do this please. I had to leave. It was my time to go."

"I know and I understand. You don't know how much I understand. I'm just sorry I was angry with you for leaving. I didn't want you to go, for it to be the end."

"I can honestly say now that I have served and informed the people to the best of my ability. It's time to bow out gracefully and let the new kids have a chance at this extraordinary life I've had doing what I love."

"I'm happy for you...but I just want to know one thing."

"Anything."

"Why did you...no, this is stupid. I shouldn't question your motives."

"Go ahead Slugger."

"Why did you leave so suddenly? It seemed like you were here one day and gone the next without warning or even a goodbye."

"If I had it my way I would have given warning and a goodbye, but it just wasn't feasible to the situation." Jim looked away from Murphy for the first time in the conversation. "When I got the call to go up there and it was explained what was going on, I knew I couldn't stay. So I took the month's vacation with my wife like they asked and now I've returned to finish out what will be my final season on _FYI_."

Murphy looked down at the floor. Those last couple of words, "final season," tore her up on the inside. To know that in such a short amount of time Jim Dial would no longer be sitting next to her at the anchor desk. But she had come to the conclusion that she might not be sitting at that desk much longer either. They were playing the same game with her and she didn't like it. Unlike Jim, it was not her time to go and she knew it.

"Would you want to stay if there was some way? I could possibly..."

"No." He waved his hands. "No, Slugger. I have had a very nice run as we say in this game of television. No. This will be my final season."

Murphy shook her head indicating that she understood. She tried to understand, even though it was hard. She decided to change the subject as they would have plenty of time to talk about this in the coming months. "Say Jim, do you still own that tuxedo?"

"Of course. You don't want to borrow it, do you? The last time you dragged the cuffs on the floor and..."

"I want to see you in it at my kid's wedding." Murphy's expression didn't change. She didn't smile.

"Wedding? Avery? That little boy is getting married? Good Lord, you people move fast."

"He proposed tonight at dinner. It was a total surprise to all of us, well, except for Corky. And that reminds me I need to give Tony a call and have _things_ taken care of."

"You're not happy?"

Murphy shot her head around, looking for either Avery or Lisa's presence in the room. "No I'm not! He's entirely too young."

"Who is she?"

"Who is who?"

"The young lady he's engaged to."

"Her name is Lisa. They went to school together."

"What's wrong with her?"

Murphy thought for a minute. "She paws him all the time. I feel like a chaperone at the prom that never ends."

"She's nothing like the other one, is she?"

"No, thank God. She's normal and probably doesn't have numerous tattoos or an arrest record the size of California. But you never can tell. Come to think of it, most of the time it's the clean cut ones who'll fool you. Oh yeah I've got her number."

"Oh, so you're telling me the only thing wrong with this young lady is that she likes to show affection toward Avery?"

"I wouldn't exactly call that affection, Jim. No, affection is holding hands or even a kiss on the cheek every once in a while. They're all over each other all the time. Take right now for example. I know damn good and well she's up there in his room even though Avery told me she wasn't. And they are probably having sex under my roof right now, as we speak."

"Slugger, please?"

"Well they probably are. You know these kids today. They'll do it anytime. Oh and did I mention that he's graduating early, probably because of her. Although I haven't figured that one out yet either, but I'm on it. Oh yeah, I'm not giving up till this case has been solved."

"Did you ever think that there might not be a case to solve? That maybe, this is just a part of his life and he has to live it. I, for one, am proud of him. He's an intelligent boy with a sensible head on his shoulders. If getting married is what's next for him in this long journey we call life, then so be it."

Murphy rolled her eyes.

"Well Slugger, I have to get back to the old ranch. Doris gave me an hour and then she was calling the police." Jim rose and began to walk back into the foyer. Murphy followed him.

"Do you really have to go? When will I see you again?"

"Monday at work, of course."

"Good." Murphy smiled.

"Good evening, Murphy."

"Bye Jim." Jim walked out of Murphy's house and headed home to Doris.


	9. Empire State of Mind

**_Chapter 9 - Empire State of Mind_**

It was a beautiful autumn day at the campus of the University of New York. The leaves were falling and there was a cool, yet comfortable breeze that followed you when you moved from one part of the city to another. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for Avery's graduation. Avery was beaming, as he should, because he had worked very hard to graduate early. Murphy stood in front of her son, outside of the auditorium. "You know I'm very proud of you, Avery." She smiled.

"I know Mom." Avery kept looking over Murphy's shoulder in search of his fiancé. "We were supposed to meet out here at ten o'clock, it's five after."

"Avery?"

"Yes Mom?"

Murphy grabbed Avery's necktie and started vigorously straightening it. "Are you happy?"

"Yes, of course, I'm happy. But I'll be a lot happier when Lisa arrives. Where could she possibly be? She's never late."

"I'm just making sure because you're going to be heading off into that big world out there and you won't need me..."

"There she is." Avery quickly moved past Murphy, making a bee line straight for Lisa. Murphy could only watch him run toward the new woman in his life, a little saddened that the person who had depended on her from day one was moving on.

"Ms. Brown? Ms. Brown? Would you mind answering some questions for us?" The Entertainment Tonight cameras darted straight for her.

Murphy rolled her eyes. "Aw come on guys! What is this? A slow news day or something? Ah, I've got it, Rob Marciano taped over the lead in for tonight's show with repeats of _The Golden Girls_ again, didn't he?"

"Please? If I don't get something Nancy O'Dell's going to have me fired. From one journalist to another, help!"

"You call yourself a journalist? Ha! Do you use that line to get all of your stories?"

"Pretty much. So will you? Please?"

Murphy looked around the camera to where Avery and Lisa were now standing. He started to move her way, but she motioned for him to stay back. The cameraman turned on the light on the front of his camera and Murphy was temporarily blinded by its blaring light. "Hey you, behind the camera, ever heard of a filter for that thing?! Jeez!"

"Is that your son over there?"

"Yes." Murphy rubbed her eyes, trying to make the spots go away.

"Can we talk to him?"

"I thought you wanted to talk to me?"

"So does this mean we can have a quote?"

Murphy hesitated for a couple of seconds, making a decision in this dilemma. "You guys are going to drive me to an early grave! Okay, one quote. But that's it! What is it?"

"Hold this." The camera man handed her a white card.

"I usually get a paycheck for this, you know!" Murphy snatched the card out of his hand and like the seasoned professional she was, held the white card up in the perfect position.

"Murphy Brown quote. Take one." The reporter announced into the microphone. "Did you get that Greg? Is this thing even on?" The reporter thumped on the microphone.

"Like there was going to be a take two. Watch and learn, O'Dell, watch and learn." Murphy adjusted the collar on her blouse and transformed from mother to reporter with little effort. "Okay, shoot."

"We're ready to go, boss."

"Great. Are we recording?"

"Check."

"Here's a clue, when the little red light comes on that usually means we're recording. Do I have to do _everything_ around here?"

"Murphy Brown..."

"Quote take one. Yeah, we've got it. Now can we get this show on the road? I'd like to see my kid graduate sometime today."

"Okay, okay." The young reporter cleared his throat and put the microphone up to his mouth. "It's been over two decades now. Let us know who's the father of your son, Jake Lowenstein or Jerry Gold?"

"What!?"

"Is Jake Lowenstein..."

"No!"

"If it's not Jake then it's…Jerry! Jerry Gold is the father of your child?" The reporter turned toward the camera, laughing all the while. "That's right folks, you heard it here first on this ET exclusive."

"NO, NO, NO!"

"Cut!"

"No cut! No nothing!"

"You heard the lady. I think she has something she wants to tell our ET viewers." He turned again to Murphy, adjusted his microphone. "I am so getting a Daytime Emmy for this!"

"So is there any truth to the rumor that Mr. Lowenstein is here today to see your son graduate?"

"Excuse me! What?" Murphy looked over to Avery, who now had his arm around Lisa. He picked up on her 'I'm in distress' look and headed over there.

"But...uh...I..."

"Okay this isn't going to work. Cut. Murphy Brown quote. Take two. This time can you put some feeling into it?"

"No!"

"Don't worry. You're great." The young reporter clapped his hands together in front of Murphy's face.

"No, I..." Murphy's brain was spinning around like an out of whack tilt-a-whirl at the county fair. She couldn't think. He had hit her with the only question that would make her do this. "I don't...what!?"

"She has no comment at this time." Avery said. "Thank you." He put his arm around his mother and walked her away from the camera. "Jerk! What was that?"

"I...I don't know. Oh God, O'Dell's probably going to sell copies of that at the next press club meeting...and to Chung and Sawyer too. You know they've been waiting for something just like that to surface!"

"What did he ask you?"

Murphy didn't want to tell Avery. His father had always been a touchy subject she could never quite grasp with him. "Nothing. It wasn't important."

"You're sure?"

"Of course." Murphy realigned her collar, putting her back into mother-mode.

"Okay. You're really sure?"

"Yes! I said yes, Avery!"

"Alrighty. Now that my two favorite ladies are here, let's get this over with." Avery put his arms around his mother and Lisa and walked them into the auditorium.

After all the pomp and circumstance, after the speeches from celebrities on how to make something out of yourself, after the honorary degrees were handed out, Murphy was the proudest parent on the planet when she saw her only son walk across the stage to accept his diploma. Something he had obviously deserved and worked hard to get.

It had always been the two of them together from the start. But now it was time for him to make his new life, to fulfill his goals, to make his dreams come true. At this moment, when she thought this final thought, even as the pride for him beamed from her, she knew she had to let him go, and that saddened her.


	10. School Spirit

**_Chapter 10 - School Spirit_**

"I don't know about this Avery."

"Come on Mom, I'm just going to introduce you to the guys. I'm not asking you to finish off a keg or anything. Not that we do that sort of thing here at the Kappa house. Well, we don't do it as much as the Omega's."

"That's just wonderful to know. You know alcohol..."

"The alcohol speech. Yeah, I remember from second grade."

"It's just that alcohol is...okay, okay, you're grown. Let's go."

"Really?"

"Yes. But if any of your little buddies try to grope me in any way..."

Avery gave her a look that made her stop in mid-sentence. He walked her and Lisa to the stairs of the house and opened the door. Every thing seemed normal. It was quiet with the exception of a couple of brothers watching TV in the main room. They reached over the couches with their hands and greeted Avery when they saw him.

"Mom, this is the Kappa house, home to the best brothers in the world." The men gave some kind of whooping male bonding chant in response to his statement, but before he could say anymore he heard a loud "Surprise!" About a hundred people came out from their hiding places to surprise Avery with a party for graduation. They let the music blare and opened bottles. He was shocked, never knowing what they had planned until now.

"Attention Kappa Brothers! Attention!" The music was lowered as Brandon, Avery's best friend and fellow Kappa brother wanted to make an announcement. "It is to my sadness that I must announce the loss of one of our own." Everyone made a fake crying sound. "Yes, yes and it is something we will have to get used to, but he wants to make the documentary film to end all documentary films and if anyone can do it, it's our boy Avery." Everyone sighed. "But we all know that's not what we're here for. All Greek's understand there are rituals."

"Yeah, hanging your underwear from a flag pole sure does sound like a real smart thing to do. But what do I know? I'm not Greek." Murphy commented under her breath.

Brandon continued. "Yes rituals. You must go through rush when you enter the house and we all know that's fun, but the best ritual of all comes when it is your time to leave. I think we all know what's coming." Avery feared what was next. "Brother Brown, meet your doom!"

"Hey guys, do we really have to do this now?"

"Yes!"

All of the brothers gathered around Avery. He glanced at Murphy and Lisa, apologizing with his eyes. They crowned him and hoisted him on their shoulders.

"I'm sorry, but this is a secret ritual," Brandon whispered to Murphy and Lisa. "I'll have someone escort you ladies outside. Scott!" Scott, a freshmen pledge appeared from nowhere. "Please take care of these ladies."

"Why can't I stay and watch this?"

"Um...You're a pledge."

"But Josh is a pledge too and he gets to stay?"

"Josh drank from the toilet last night, he has earned his right to stay. You, however, have not. Now go! And you better take care of these ladies."

"Okay."

"Excuse me, I don't think I heard you correctly?"

"Yes brother Daniels. I am a meaningless piece of pond scum. I don't deserve to be in your presence, your reverence. I will never speak to another brother the way I have spoken to you, sir."

"Much better."

By this time, Murphy had seen her share. This was enough to last her a lifetime, which she now wished would only last another five minutes so she could finally be put out of her misery. "Listen Scott, as fascinating as this seems I've had too darn much fun for today. I don't think I can take anymore Greek fun. Just call me a cab."

"Oh please don't leave ma'am. If you do I'll have to streak through the quad, and it's cold outside."

"I've seen way too much, I must go. And did you ever think of not doing what they tell you to do?"

"No. Why would I do that?"

"It means a lot to Avery that you meet the guys, Ms. Brown," Lisa said. "If I stay, will you?"

"I'm entirely too old for this." As Murphy finished her last statement she heard a howl of men come from the house. "What are they doing to my son?"

"Don't worry, Ms. Brown, they wouldn't do this if it wasn't safe...I think."

"That's really very comforting, thank you."


	11. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

**_Chapter 11 - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow_**

Murphy was running so fast and so hard that she thought her heart was going to give out on her, but she couldn't stop because she was being chased. She spotted a gated area and ran in. She could hear the voice of her chaser coming closer and closer. He was yelling something. She peaked around the corner of the gate and saw him coming after her. "Stop, stop," she yelled. He didn't. He continued to run after her and his voice got louder and louder. She decided to run again, but she didn't get very far because she tripped over something, falling hard to the ground. As she got up she felt a push from behind and fell head first into a large hole. When she hit the bottom she looked up and saw a masked man with a shovel. He dug that shovel into the fresh earth and began to throw it into the hole. As it got darker she yelled, "Help me!" Then, just as soon as it begun, it all stopped. Everything was quiet, cold and dark.

"I'm dead. I know it." She mumbled to herself.

"No you're not." She heard a voice say. She thought this must be it. This was the voice of God. Not at all what she expected. Kinda wimpy for the All Mighty.

"I'm dead. You can tell me. I can handle it. I've been close to death before. You gave me cancer and I handled that and I can definitely handle this. Be honest, I'm dead."

"I said you're not dead."

Murphy opened her eyes and saw a blurry figure standing over her. It took a couple of seconds for her eyes to come into focus and when they did she saw a very nice looking man crouched over her. He had on a baggie pair of jeans and no shirt. She was in a bed, but she had not a clue of whose bed it was.

"911! 911! AHH! Get away from me!" Murphy screamed, hoping someone would help her.

The mysterious man put his hand over her mouth. "Be quiet!"

Murphy bit his middle finger. As she watched him try to make the pain go away she decided to just run and she would be safe. She threw off the covers and began to run for the door. She looked down and noticed that she was not in her clothes, in fact she was only in an oversized Jets football jersey, so she pulled the shirt down to her knees and walked slowly back into the bed.

"Why did you have to do that? Damn it, that hurt!"

"Can you hand me my clothes so I can get the hell out of here!?" Murphy pointed to her clothes that had been flung on the back of a chair.

"You really didn't have to bite me!"

Murphy suddenly felt a wave of nausea come over her and doubled over.

"Are you alright? Maybe you should lay down." The stranger stroked the back of her head and slowly laid her back on the nice, soft pillow. "Just rest."

Murphy felt it go dark again. As hard as she tried, she couldn't open her eyes. "Who are you?" She asked with weakness in her voice.

"I'm Brandon."

"Brandon, I don't mean to be rude here, well actually I do, WHERE THE HELL AM I?"

"You're at the Kappa house. And you really shouldn't yell like that. It could cause stress on your vocal cords."

"The Kappa house? Wait just one minute..." Murphy sat up and held her head, never opening her eyes. "I'm going to be blunt here. Did we, you know, do that thing that, um, people do..."

"Are you asking if we had sex?"

Murphy put her index finger to the tip of her nose, like she was playing Charades, and then pointed at him. "Yes, sex, that's it. Did we do that?"

"You don't remember?"

"Well, I do remember someone doing something. No, I'm completely wrong. I don't remember a damn thing."

"You don't remember crowning yourself queen of the Greeks?" Brandon laughed. "I had to stop you when you started playing strip poker with the pledges. Then when I put you over my shoulder and carried you up here, you tried to spank me with our house board. I still have Greek letters embossed on my ass. Oh yeah, you were a lot of fun."

"And what happened then? Let me change that question. How did my clothes get over there?"

"Nothing happened, I promise. I'm a dry brother. I don't drink."

"You didn't answer my question."

"You don't believe me?"

"Not really."

"You dressed yourself, although I did have to help you. And let me say that for your age you ain't too shabby in that department."

"If I had any energy I'd...I'd, well I don't know what I'd do but you wouldn't forget it!"

"I will never forget what you did last night." Brandon laughed.

"Very funny, Brandon. You're oh so cleaver." Murphy felt sick again so she fell back onto the pillow and in the process hit her head on the hard wooden headboard. She knocked herself out, cold.

Brandon leaned over her, putting one arm on either side of her body. "Ms. Brown? Are you okay?" He lightly slapped her face.

"Get off my mother, Daniels!" Avery barged into Brandon's room, grabbed him by the neck and threw him up against the wall.

"Get your hands off me, Brown!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing? I thought you were my best friend!"

"I was before you went completely postal!"

"A friend doesn't sleep with his supposed best friend's mother Daniels!"

"I didn't sleep with your mother! She's like..." He wanted to say old, but didn't. "...your mom! And what would make a son leave his mother at a frat party just so he can finally get it on with his girlfriend? Huh? Huh? No, I think the question is what's wrong with you, Brown?"

"Kenny told me he saw her get in a cab and leave."

"I'd bet he did. Kenny will say anything after a dozen Jell-O shots. No, the fact remains, Brown, you left your mother here. You should be ashamed of yourself!" Avery let off of Brandon, but not without giving him a nudge before he did. They starred at each other like it was high noon at the OK corral and something was about to go down.

"Avery, I'm so glad I found you dude!" Avery heard the voice of Dewey, a freshman pledge.

"What is it Dewey? I'm a little busy here!"

"Yeah, making an ass out of yourself!" Avery pushed back on Brandon and made his head hit the wall.

"Dude, you know those mickeys I was going to goof on Stu with?"

"Yeah."

"I think your mother got into some of that."

"What?!" Avery went after Dewey, but Brandon grabbed his shirt and held him back. "How could you be so stupid, man? That's my mother!"

Dewy looked down at Murphy who was still out. He knelt by her side and clutched her hand in his. "Oh God, I've killed her! I'm a murderer, dude! What am I going to do? I know. Help me hide the body."

"She isn't dead, you moron! She hit her head and knocked herself out." Brandon explained as he leaned over Murphy again.

"Get out of here before I'm going to have to hide your body!" Avery yelled at Dewey.

"Norman Bates much? Why don't you just chill Avery?"

"Chill? My mother is lying in your bed unconscious! I ought to..."

"Why does my head hurt so bad?" Murphy put her hand to her head as she woke up.

"Mom, I'm here. It's Avery."

"I know you're here...and that's nice and all, but WHY THE HELL DOES MY HEAD HURT SO DAMN BAD!" Murphy stopped to catch her breath. "I haven't felt this bad since my drinking days when I'd wake up..." Murphy paused as she looked around the room, searching for something familiar. "Oh God, Avery, call Betty Ford! Mommy needs help!"

"Mom you didn't..."

"But I was doing so well, Avery. I really was." Murphy grabbed her son, needing some security now.

"Mom?"

"Twenty three years. Twenty three long years wasted!"

"YOU DIDN'T DRINK!" Avery yelled. She stopped rambling. "Right Brandon? She didn't, right?"

"She didn't. I mean, you didn't Ms. Brown."

"Who the hell is Brandon?" Murphy looked at the stranger, with no shirt on, and screamed. "And why are you half naked? Better yet, why am I?"

"I didn't have time to put on my shirt before the chaos started." Brandon cut Avery a look as he got up to retrieve his shirt.

"Brandon? Wait? It's all coming back to me now. You're the person who helped me." Murphy paused. "By the way, what happened to me? I feel like shit."

"You hit your head and someone slipped you something, not necessarily in that order." Brandon, being a pre-med student, took out his bag and began to examine Murphy, looking in her eyes with his pen light and feeling her head for contusions. "But I think you're going to live." Brandon smiled at Murphy and she fell back again onto the pillow. Avery and Brandon flinched as she did, but after the already exhausting day she had merely fallen back to sleep.


	12. Won't Trade

_Chapter 12 - Won't Trade_

"Let's hit the road," Murphy impatiently yelled from the open elevator. She began to tap her hand on the open door. "Sometime today, Frank!"

"I'm coming. See, Murph, I'm right here." Frank said when he finally got to the elevator door, after sprinting from the other side of the office. He stepped inside. "Wait, I forgot my football." He immediately stepped back out and began sprinting again to his office.

This perturbed Murphy and flared her temper even more.

"Okay I'm back," Frank said after returning to the elevator. "I've never had a Heisman Trophy Winner signed football before."

"He's not a Heisman Trophy winner yet, Frank," Murphy said while the elevator door closed and then began to make its descent.

Murphy and Frank were finally on their way to L.A. to see Avery. He had been blessed with so many gifts, but only one had gotten him a full-ride scholarship. Murphy had hoped beyond all hope that he would go to a school on the East Coast. Wishing for a coveted scholarship to Penn or Brown had become common place in the Brown house by now, but, in actuality, so many schools were vying for the all around athletic prowess of Avery Brown. He wanted to go somewhere with a great football tradition as well as a superb film school. So he decided on the absolute best. When the Trojans offered a full ride scholarship he jumped. This was where he was going to college and he really didn't care if Murphy disapproved, he was going. And to L.A. he went. Way over there. After much indecisiveness on her part, Murphy finally had to respect it. It just took her an extremely long time.

Murphy sat in the stands, over looking the 50 yard line, with her Gold and Cardinal on, watching her son play football for the school she didn't want him to go to. This had been planned for some time. She told Avery she would go to only one game, as L.A. was not her favorite city...not by a long shot. To her, it equated to fluff interviews with the _Hollywood_ people. Where that might have been more up Corky's alley now, she would rather interview a Saudi prince and not these people who thought they were royalty for the simple fact that they had said other people's words in front of a camera at one time. But she could stand a weekend get away in the sun, under the palm trees, to not have to watch her son play on TV again. This was live and in prime time, just how she liked it.

Frank had made his way to the concession stand, missing Avery's second rushing touchdown in the process. Luckily the defense was not on the field that long when the opposing team threw an interception.

"Popcorn, Murph?" Frank sat down next to Murphy again.

"I'm too nervous to eat. You know this, Frank."

"Fine, suit yourself." Frank took a hand full of buttery popped corn goodness and stuffed it into his mouth. Murphy couldn't stand when he did this.

She continued to concentrate on the game. Avery was coming back on the field anyway and Frank's terrible table manners were beginning to not be her problem anymore.

Then she saw him again. She knew this game was big for him. She knew if they won this game they would secure the West and Avery would most likely be nominated for the Heisman. She just knew it and that made her happy, because it would make him happy.

The game neared the end of the third quarter now, when Avery took over as Quarterback again. One more touchdown would most likely secure the win and the Heisman. Maybe it was the smell of all that butter, but a weird feeling came over Murphy. She watched him line up, read the defense and started to become concerned. Something did not look at all right. But she could do absolutely nothing other than watch as Avery was hit extremely hard, taking a helmet to the chest. He fell backward and was not getting up.

She grabbed Frank and dug her face into his chest. Frank reciprocated by doing all the watching for her. He saw the network cameras turn her way. "We are on camera, Murph."

She turned her head and he was still down. They wanted her reaction. She did not want to have the reaction she had as she instinctively took off, jumping over the railing and landing on the field. She sprinted as fast as she could over to where Avery was still laying on the ground. Frank shortly met her on the field. They watched together. And she could not turn away.

Frank's cell phone rang, he answered it. It was Jim, who was watching from home. He was watching them on the field. He wanted to know if there was a delay and if Avery was up yet. Frank told him that there was no delay and what he was watching was indeed live. Jim informed Frank that the network was showing non stop repeats of the hit and Murphy's leap so he just had to call for himself. Both teams were now kneeling in prayer for Avery.

Before she knew it, Murphy was being tapped on the shoulder. She turned, expecting Press, but instead found a teammate of Avery's. He was crying. "It's all my fault, Avery's mom," Number 22 continually repeated. She just looked at him. "It's this stupid knee brace. He hit his head on my knee brace. I'm so sorry."

"Mom? Mom?" Avery finally said, still not moving.

Murphy leaned over his helmet. "I'm here, Mr. Twister."

"I didn't drop the ball, Mom."

"Are you okay in there?"

"Everything hurts, but I can still play. Help me up?"

"Absolutely not," Murphy answered just before the stretcher came to take Avery to the hospital. Both Murphy and Frank took that ambulance ride with him.

Murphy and Frank had spent the night right there next to Avery. In fact, that's where they still were the next morning when everyone woke. Avery was watching highlights of the play on ESPN, now well aware of the ordeal he had lived through. When Frank's cell phone rang it perfectly synced with a repeat of Avery's hit. Frank answered it. "Hello?"

"Frank?"

"Corky?"

"Yep, it's me. We are all wondering how he's doing?"

"We?"

"Everyone. I have gotten calls since 5:30 this morning, from literally every member of Press I know. They all want an update."

"Why are they calling you?"

"I don't know, Frank. Maybe it's because I work with Murphy. Why isn't she answering her phone anymore?"

"She turned that thing off hours ago."

"Well thank her because we all are getting her calls now."

"I will."

"I had to miss Church today because of this, Frank! Tell her!"

"Here," Frank handed Murphy his phone. "It's Corky, and she's in a mood."

Murphy took it. "Hello Corky."

"Damn it, Murphy! Turn your phone back on!"

"28th already? He's awake, but has a serious concussion and his knee will have to be completely rebuilt! And if you don't want the phone calls then turn off your damn phone, Corky!" In one full swoop Murphy finished her statement, hung up on Corky and threw the phone back to Frank. "Now turn yours off too, Frank."

While he was doing just that they all heard a knock at the door. In came the man they had all been waiting for, Avery's surgeon, and someone else that they really hadn't been waiting for, Avery's Coach.

"Ms. Brown, it is an honor to finally meet you," Coach Jacobs stated while presenting his hand to her. "I'm just sorry it's under these conditions."

She was still shaking his hand when she said, "Yeah, me too."

"So, what's the plan Doc?" Avery asked. "Because I want to get back out there as soon as possible."

"That's the thing, Avery," Coach Jacobs stated. "The doctor here thinks you'll be out until next season. We're talking full reconstruction here, Avery."

Avery's face went to worry.

"You just can't bounce back quickly from something like this, Avery," Coach Jacobs continued.

"Well, what does that mean for me and the team?"

"We'll have to go second string."

Avery knew what that meant. "I swear, Coach, I will work extremely hard to get back to the team quickly."

"No Avery, you don't understand," Coach Jacobs stated. "It's not that simple. This type of injury takes a long time to heal and as much as I hate to see talent like yours leave the team, we can no longer honor your scholarship. You deserve the time to heal right and completely. I'm sorry, Avery."

And with that, it was over. All of it. Every dream he had ever had to play football in the NFL or play basketball in the NBA or graduate from this film school were dashed with one TKO. One newly reconstructed knee later, Avery decided, with Murphy's nudging of course, to move back east and to complete his degree at UNY where there was no football temptation, only huge tuition.


End file.
